Judith is getting ready
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8:40 am, November 24th, 2018 - 125 comments
Categories: Amy Adams, climate change, Conservation, Environment, jacinda ardern, Judith Collins, labour, national, paula bennett, Politics, same old national, Simon Bridges -
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What does National do? Stick with Simon Bridges who is dying on his feet and appears to be incapable of bringing things around. Or switch leaders?
Like to Amy Adams who is part of Canterbury’s landed gentry and the recipient of central government largesse. And who makes me want to shove things in my ears because every time she talks it hurts so much. Or Paula Bennett who in a winning election for National where the tide was still coming in almost lost her seat to Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni.
They are running out of options.
Of course there is Judith Collins. Uber talented Judith Collins who most people would not trust with looking after their pet cat.
It may be that she is their only realistic choice. The trouble is however that she may be the choice they would make if they wanted to consign National to the eternal fires of Trumpian right wing hell.
And she is getting ready. And she is going all Trump like.
From Jacob McSweeney in the Wanganui Chronicle:
Judith Collins has fired shots at the Government and its supporters over political correctness while trying to win over rest home residents in Whanganui.
“I’m so sick of being told what we’re not allowed to think. And if you say something that questions the current Government then you’re called a denier. It’s like a heresy.
“They’re generally anti-religion but I reckon they’d be pretty good at the Inquisition.
“They’re right into it. If you don’t agree with what they say then you’re a bad person.”
The reported comments are resplendent with Fox News type themes. “Deniers” as in climate change deniers, “political correctness”, and, presumably because she was talking to a group of old people, “millenials”.
And she said things that were clearly not the truth. Like this:
We’ve got a prime minister at the moment who’s happy to destroy an entire industry, the oil and gas industry, overnight on the flick of a switch to get a headline.”
Oil and gas are still being produced and will be produced for the foreseeable future.
There was also this nonsensical gratuitous attack on young people:
Some of the young people that we talk to … the millennials …. they say things like ‘Oh well, you know, whatever, climate change, whatever’. Then I say, ‘You can’t charge your iPhone’ and they sort of think ‘Well how does that work?'”
Someone should tell her about solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy.
She had been invited to meet with locals by National MP Harete Hipango. Hipango won the seat last time by 1,700 votes. A 2.3% swing will tip her out.
The latest polling suggests that National is at 37% and Labour is at 46%. The two party swing from the election night result is 8.25%. If these figures were repeated on election night Hipango’s career would be over, together with the careers of many of her caucus colleagues.
I suspect we are going to see a lot more of Judith in the next few weeks. And I am surprised National is letting her speak so widely on so many topics.
Tick tock tick tock …
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Judith would make a fantastic PM and I’ll start donating back to national if she takes over the leadership (I paused when bridges became leader).
Judith being the answer says a lot about the question.
Why do you think that “Judith would make a fantastic PM“, James, apart from the fact that she wants that title?
Judith would be a fantastic PM for the most serious and important of aspects.
Only one PM in the part 60 years would touch her as a subject for the caricaturists and cartoonists – Muldoon.
Judith would make a fantastic bird-scarer.
Ha I like it
what is it with right wing males wanting overbearing women as leaders, thatcher, pauline hanson, shipley, judith collins.etc. are they a replacement for there mothers, or do they bring back memories of strict school teachers? either way, its creepy.
Nice observation.
@ woodart (1.4) … Yes, creepy alright! Could be these strict disciplinarian woman are a turn-on for inadequate right wing males, who have weird fantasies perhaps, involving receiving (pleasurable for them) chastisement from these stern, forceful, hateful females! Strange.
They’ve been naughty and they must be punished
National Party men like being beaten up by there women.
Donate ‘back” James but do be conscious of the whip in the hands of Judith the Narcissist.
thats very possibly turning him on
Good chuckle there Micky,
That picture of Collins looks more like “the joker’ every time doesn’t it.
Judith Collins is a sad joke of course like many of today’s politicians are just “empty vessels.”
Micky said;
“Of course there is Judith Collins. Uber talented Judith Collins who most people would not trust with looking after their pet cat.”
@ Cleangreen (2) … yes, it’s becoming quite normal now for Judith Collins to take on the appearance of “The Joker.” No question about that!
Bill Ralston reckons she should hope like hell that the murky forces in the National Party who have weaponised JLR to pave the way for her installation as Leader will fail since National doesn’t have a hope of winning in 2020.
https://www.noted.co.nz/currently/politics/simon-bridges-national-party-dead-man-walking-bill-ralston/
Apparently he’s a Nat supporter, so his conclusion seems significant: “It is hard to escape the conclusion that as long as Jacinda Ardern remains Prime Minister, we are looking at a three-term Labour-led Government and National is toast.”
Yes that was my conclusion too and another former Nat Richard Griffiths has an interesting piece in the Dom Post this weekend.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/108820734/coalition-government-proving-sceptics-wrong
And he’s also known to be a Nat supporter. Quite a thoughtful appraisal by Griffin, actually. He also alerts us to the irrelevance of the Nats replacing their leader: “it has come down to their finding a genuine political partner or spending the next few years singing solo in the political back waters of Opposition.”
So there’s a sure-fire way for JC to demonstrate she’s the right leader for them. Pull that rabbit out of her hat! She could start by actually wearing one, like the Queen. Appropriate role models usually work well. Wave graciously at admirers.
WOW just WOW …
I never thought I would ever say this, but that Stuff opinion piece by the ex-Chair of RNZ, Richard Griffin (not Griffiths) is a MUST READ.
As some may recall, during the Clare Curran fiasco earlier this year, I was very definitely anti-Griffin from personal experience over the years.
While not changing my overall view, this article shows that even someone like Griffin can open their mind up to taking an objective look from time to time.
Dick Griffin along with Harman, Ralston and other National party hacks all realise the power of Jacinda Ardern and know that as long as she is leader Labour will be at the center of govt for at least three terms, possibly longer. National are in the political wilderness with no real options for a credible leader at present. The helicopter is on constant standby. Judith Collins is just another distraction and no more than a dispensable weather balloon destined to be either frozen in the mesosphere or burnt up in the thermosphere.
I don’t believe that Judith Collins is the one they want as leader.
They need someone like Chris Penk. Seems to be the most human of the bunch. Strangely I find myself drawn to him. He doesn’t have the snarky bitterness of Collin’s, nor the childish intemperance of Simeon Browne. Good keen kiwi middle man.
I get the feeling the preferred choice is Mark Mitchell.
… only of Mark Mitchell.
It would be best if National adopted the tried and true Labour opposition method of going through 1 fresh leader per year to give everyone a rotation. LIke the All Blacks if you will.
That’s the best result for Labour’s full three straight terms.
Preferred by whom?
Whom do you believe is the one they want as leader? And who are “they”?
Great post.
Nice pic but no way is she clever enough to play the joker. I wish her luck – her chances of getting sufficient caucus support are inversely proportion to the average level of intelligence of Nat MPs. If they do select her, likelihood of National remaining out of power gets a substantial increase.
Why? She wants to shift National to the right. The electorate has allocated govt-forming power to the centrists, so her bias disempowers her. She can only succeed via a strategy of fooling enough centrists. She hasn’t even displayed the ability to do that in her own caucus yet, and they’re much easier to fool than NZF voters…
Why? She wants to shift National to the right. The electorate has allocated govt-forming power to the centrists, so her bias disempowers her. She can only succeed via a strategy of fooling enough centrists. She hasn’t even displayed the ability to do that in her own caucus yet, and they’re much easier to fool than NZF voters…
The coming electoral battle won’t be around political ideology it will be about generational differences.
Collins represents people 40 and up, Ardern 40 and below.
If you look at it in that context Collins would beat Ardern hands down.
Collins doesn’t represent people 40 and over, you’re dreaming. Her constituency is much older, though they are reliable voters.
People who are 40 were the last New Zealanders who experienced that old school traditional kiwi mono cultural way of life, everyone playing rugby, going to the pub, shops shut on the weekend etc.
People 40 and below have had a far different introduction to life than those 40 +
That’s why I picked 40 as my cut off point.
Good Lord BM. Anyone 40 today was born in 1978 not 1958 for Christ’s sake.
NZ didn’t really culturally change significantly till the mid-1990s.
No “significant” cultural changes!? Do you think that the 1960s and 1970s had no impact on New Zealand? I also seem to recall some major changes due to the neoliberal ‘Rogernomics’ upending the country around 1985.
Have you been in a coma, or living in some closeted community?
@BM “NZ didn’t really culturally change significantly till the mid-1990s.”
If that is true, then people who are 40 today would have been in their late teens in the mid-1990s.
Teenagers in the 1990s would have strongly affected by, if not at the forefront, of any cultural change happening in the mid-1990s.
You’re behind the times; many eligible voters didn’t grow up here in NZ. For some reason many commentators seem to completely ignore (or deplore?) this fact. Maybe it is easier to write an opinion piece if one keeps it really simple and from a narrow conservative perspective?
Just asked my mum if she would vote National with JC at the helm.
A resounding and emphatic ‘No!’
A lot of older people (women especially) can’t stand her. She is mean and she cannot hide it. It is who she is.
100% Kate.
Dunno why you’d think that. Not a single election in our history has ever been won on the basis of generational differences, has it? In fact, in half a century of watching, I haven’t encountered a single citation or instance of it happening in any western democracy. But I’ve got an open mind, and if you can produce any such instance I’ll give it due consideration…
But I’ve got an open mind, and if you can produce any such instance I’ll give it due consideration
2016 presidential election
What do you think “Make America great again” was all about
Yeah, some truth in that. Victory of nostalgia over blandness, with the old mostly nostalgic & the young mostly bland? I prefer to see it as Trump told it: anti-establishment vs suckers. So I reckon generational differences were marginal rather than decisive.
nothing to do with generation, more to do with misogyny.
2016 presidential election
Except Trump got almost three million fewer votes than the Democrats. Here National got more votes than Labour and still couldn’t form a government.
Trump appealed to every group that Clinton’s team ignored. “MAGA” is an empty slogan that can have any meaning read into it.
The results from the recent mid-terms seem to point to his lies having worn thin, however. Republicans took a beating even in rural areas, and a lot of districts have swung from ‘red’ to ‘purple’.
Reliance on older people as a conservative voting bloc is eroding fast in the US. If National want to try that as a tactic here they’re welcome to.
Yep. And it’s going to be painful.
And then they’ll make her leader.
And then, at some indeterminate point in the future, National will be on its knees begging Blinglish to come back to see if he can return them to the glory of his 2002 result.
Chuckle chuckle.
Our very own Cersei Lannister.
I reckon, from under Judith’s sparsely-feathered Mother-bird wing will emerge a disarmingly-charming chick who will lead National back into Government…in time. Right now, Judith only has to show she’s a tough old bird; her cute li’ yunker will have us oo-ing and goo-ing but still keep the flinty hard-right happy, knowing who laid her.
It was going to be Sarah Dowie, but now the nurturing is for another. You know who. I reckon.
Robert I see that your local newspaper The Southland Times has posed further questions to Bridges regarding the disgraceful text exchange between a Nat MP and JLR? Good work on their part.
They’re really good on local issues, ScottGN. Their editorial-writer is canny and bold.
Sure is good they are keeping that topic alive down there, at a guess I think a certain MP down south will not be seeking re-election in 2020.
Thought that topic might have been buried due to the blue nature of the bottom of the south island. Pleasantly surprised.
Lucky you Robert to have such an excellent local paper, good work Erica Stanford.
I think Sarah Dowie will stand for re-election. You and she see the world differently, Cinny, by my reckoning.
While Sarah Dowie will undoubtedly stand for re-election, will she be re-selected, and will the electorate (and Southland Times) support her enough to be re-elected?
The editorial stance of the paper has been rather critical of her behaviour on several occasions.
Todd Barclay was reselected, wasn’t he?
It would have been interesting how that would have played out if it had gone to the electorate. Probably a reasonably even two way race with toddles toddling along behind in his embarrassment. Party vote would have still been solidly blue.
Can see the same thing happening in Invercargill.
O, yes. Mind you, Liz Craig’s a strong woman. She has an “estuary health” meeting coming soon – you going? Topical as. Apparently, Sarah Dowie’s “mud malarky for kids” or whatever, had two be “rearranged” because of issues with the healthiness of the …mud. Had you heard?
“had two be “rearranged” ”
Oooops….
I’m a couple of hours north so C/S is my patch. The New River estuary has been dodgy for ever, I lived down there in late 80’s and everyone kept well out of it, then.
And well done getting Ms D and malarkey in the same sentence.
Hehehe Robert 🙂 Different views on topics like say.. adultery.
Well if she does stand again, I’ll be very interested in her voting numbers compared with 2017.
This one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erica_Stanford
She reminds me of someone …
I’ll see you and raise you this one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola_Willis_(politician)
Probably comes down to which faction is behind each of them and others like Kaye for instance.
I have said all along that I think the next National PM will be Willis. She fits the National mould beautifully. Business wise, Politically wise
Is Willis a student of Lusk?
Sorry for the source, but she doesn’t seem to be the flavour of the month over there…
https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2018/07/does-nicola-willis-remember-which-party-she-is-in/
Painted as a Key acolyte.
Wow… he is as revolting as ever.
” this ninny isn’t fit for purpose.”
Might be worth tucking this oily quote away somewhere till it’s needed…
I don’t think she’s the “unity” candidate to douse the civil war that begat sigh.moan
Judith is like something you buy from the warehouse. It looks great, and looks fit for purpose. Unfortunately as time goes on the design flaws show up over time and the purchaser is soon looking for a replacement.
She has been moved on from a few ministerial positions.
Largely made in China?
Nice one Robert!
China Doll?
nah ,more like chucky doll
and painted with lead.
And the frame has sharp edges from where the staples stick out.
From the Bargain Bin?
Collins’ address to the Whanganui pensioners was unbelievably inept, incoherent & downright loony. She makes Bridges sound like someone with a golden tongue
Maybe thats their idea. Bolster Bridges
Judith Collins’ ambitions outweigh her competency. She would be a boon for the Coalition Government and I suspect most in National know that. She has waaay too much baggage.
If judith becomes leader, national won’t win the next election, she is way to polarising and so many skeletons in her closet.
But if judith becomes leader I will smile and feel very happy for James and Pucky, their devotion to her is admiral, questionable, but very sweet, sweet enough to make me smile.
Ardern is polarizing
Collins is polarizing
Bridges is wishy-washy.
Collins has a far higher chance of leading National to victory than Bridges.
Looking at the poll numbers from the initial post, are you sure re Jacinda?
She’s like Key, you either like her or loathe her.
Why would anyone loathe her, aside from tribal devotion to loathing the leader of the party that’s ousted you from Government?
I have the sneaking suspicion you’re on the left end of the political spectrum.
Like Trump.
I definately don’t think she deserves being loathed. Considering she is doing a good job at maintaining stability with the complexities of the coalition. I however don’t see her as some superstar either. She has consistently been let down by events relating to depth of competency within Labour which portrays badly on her.
Exactly, its only the die hard Nact tribalists that could ever loathe Jacinda Ardern. The only way the Nat nut jobs can deal with the reality of her being the PM is to compare her popularity to that of Key. What the Nact nut jobs don’t get is that Jacinda Ardern and Key have utterly nothing in common except the similarity of being human on this mortal coil.
Ardern is a giver, Key was/is a taker.
Nicely put, Kat!
BM = loves Collins = suprise – suprise – surprise.
Why don’t we all go schtum about this JC and let what is ordained happen and all will be well.
Ardern isn’t polarising at all. That’s actually part of the problem in that she’s not taking the steps needed because they will upset National.
Collins has absolutely no chance of leading National to victory ever but she probably does have a higher chance than Bridges.
Jacinda Ardern describes herself as a “pragmatic idealist” therefore not so much about “upsetting National” rather more about being inclusive and taking as much of the people with her on the journey of mending and rebuilding this fair land and the well being of its inhabitants. Its a hard road trying to please all the people all the time.
Nicely said Kat.
She’s about people, community and country.
And I’m so happy about that, makes a refreshing and much needed change from the priorities of money and loopholes.
Yes Kat,
Jacinda has made many promises including what she requested at the Whitangi speech this year when she said;
“Keep a close watch on our promises made and remind us when we have failed to honour any of them.”
Oh yes we are doing this Jacindaa, but are you listening?
Oops! She’s the one I meant. She’s being groomed and has talent. Thanks for the correction, veutoviper. They look similar?
EDIT: I must be seeing things! Veutoviper’s comment … vanished! On my screen, anyway!
It began: “I’ll raise you…” and had a link to Nicola Willis or some such….hmmmmmmm….
and now, it’s back!!
Taking a short break…
LOL! Presumably this is a reply to my first response to you at 8.2.2. which I then deleted, then put up again …
Yes they do look similar, and are similar in other respects, but I suspect that Willis is the much more pushy of the two.
“They’ve” been showcasing her in photo-ops, beside Simon etc. I guess too, they’ll start, if they haven’t already, moving her around the House to see which seat fits best, as they were doing with Sarah Dowie, until…they weren’t.
Poor old Soimun is too bland and ineffectual.
Judith is outspoken and exciting and a loose cannon – mad as a hatter.
It will be pure entertainment watching the hapless nats lurch from one extreme of unelectable leader to the other.
Simon’s “wheels are falling off his legions of trucks he loves to build his roads for.
Bah bah bah.
Another “Simon” Must Read – enjoy!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/108801003/time-to-get-quizzical-with-the-questioners
Brilliant.
Thank you VV.
Reminds me we don’t have enough satire in Aotearoa.
I am aware and enjoy The Civilian, any other suggestions standarditzas?
Primo VV.
Enjoyed that read, thanks for the link.
Very clever political satire VV (15). Thanks 🙂
veutoviper thanks for that chuckle I was splitting my sides there, and need to go to the loo now, thanks.
I appreciate the satire.
Ok, I am gonna repeat my theory.
The next tory PM isn’t an MP currently.
They will chopper in a likeable candidate to a safe seat e.g. Lance O’Sullivan, Michael Jones/Richie McCaw, Teresa Gatting, Nadia Lim.
(Apologies to any of the above if your politics don’t fit with my suggestion, I am just spitballing.)
A la sir slippery John. That worked well for them last time.
One doesn’t need to be a politician to lead the tories.
Na she’s already there . Nicola Willis is the name I’ve heard whispered.
You reckon she is a Nat prime minister or the Nat party leader?
There is a world of difference as our Simon is finding out.
Nicola Willis as Prime Minister would make the New Zealand government a client state of Fonterra (even more than we are already).
Nicola Willis was always a Fonterra shill and always will be.
I suspect gsays is right on this one. They will pick a ‘winner’.
Right wingers like winners, and winners are often right wing (‘I got here by my own effort – anyone else can do the same’). Of course every winner had a great deal of good fortune on the way, whether they recongise it or not.
“Is it a coincidence that Bridges’ one-time rival Judith Collins is quietly positioning herself against any push to make National greener?”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/108774040/the-big-political-countdown-is-on–are-you-ready
This seemed like a thread I could get me teeth into and, coincidentally, I just happened to be watching a music video that perfectly encapsulates Jude and everything she stands for
Bad moon rising, Pucky – know that one?
Use by date well exceeded. Jude the Obscure.
Nicola. Come in …Nicola.
Nicola? Is that a Prime Ministerial name? Nicola?
At least it’s not Nicholas – as in knickerless women shouldn’t climb trees – it’s an oldy…
🙂
Pucky – when I look at the picture accompanying this post – I just don’t feel…right..you?
Men have always been intimidated by strong, intelligent, capable and attractive woman so its no surprise to me that the author would choose to deface Jude in this way.
Its, unfortunately, the price woman still pay when they choose to serve the public. I thought we might have gotten past this form of attack, given the disgraceful attacks Helen Clark went through, and I did expect better of the author but I suppose when you’re worried you lash out.
Fortunately Judes heart is big enough to forgive all who transgressed against her when she ascends to her rightful place as leader of this fair country
Hail Collins!
But can she take a sad song and make it better puckers? I think not.
Well you can hail anyone you want but as a woman I will “paddle my own canoe”. When did any one quoting visceral pork bait become acceptable in a person vying, and lying, to represent NZers?
“Men have always been intimidated by strong, intelligent, capable and attractive woman”
Projection much. Pucky. It’s perilously easy to imagine you curled up on a velvet cushion on the floor of Jude’s parlour, tight, diamanté-studded collar round your thin neck, rheumy eyes pleadingly fixed on your mistress’s every junipered-up sway and wobble and at that much-rehearsed command, “Submit!!”, you scuttle from your puffer, tiny claws click, click, clicking on the lacquered-kauri floor, to her feet, where your dreams come true – your raison d’être is realised; 5 minutes lick, lick, licking “Her Majesty’s” puffy ankles till they glisten!
Am I close, Pucky?
I feel I’m pretty close.
My neck isn’t thin 🙂
Judith does Trump speak and a bit of neoliberalism tinkering on the sly. They must have been having a very off day at Crosby Textor to dream that one up.
I agree that Judith Collins speech seemed to be Channeling Donald Trump.
But I disagree with the general consensus here, that Colins couldn’t win the election for National.
Everyone said Trump couldn’t win either.
Yes Collins carries baggage, but Hey, so what? So did Trump, that didn’t stop him being elected to head the Republican Party and didn’t stop him being elected President.
Just as it won’t stop Collins being elected head of the National Party.
I won’t predict that Collins will win in 2020, that will depend on the Government. Twyford’s latest housing package could be a good start, that is if it directly helps Labour’s low income support base get into houses, and if it doesn’t try to straddle the gap between housing the needy and serving the greed of the developers, and the middle class dream of home ownership and end up satisfying no one.
Just as Obama’s health care package didn’t go far enough to satisfy the needs of the uninsured, by trying to straddle the gap of accommodating the profit driven model of the private health insurers. And so fell between two stools.
The government needs to avoid that fate and quietly forget about Kiwi build and housing the middle classes, and concentrate instead on those in greatest housing need by building more state rentals with fixed rents at 25% of income.
Jenny NZ is way different 1 person 1 vote Trump lost the popular vote. The US has turned against Trump quickly.
The economy in NZ is performing much better.
Obama failed to get adequate healthcare for the poor because of fillibustsring by Republicans Trump harnessed that Backlash now he is reaping his own Backlash over the withdrawal of Health insurance which will hit him hard.
Collins corruption and ineffectual leadership will be her undoing JLR hasn’t finished yet.
‘Someone should tell her about solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy.’
Someone should tell a lot of people about the shortcomings of solar and wind, and their ability to drive up the cost of electricity while reducing the reliability of the grid.
Potential for additional hydro is extremely limited.
Geothermal has its problems too, in the form of pollutants such as arsenic entering our waterways; and is not as sustainable as you might think. For that matter, neither are solar or wind.
I think it would be terrible if we used up all the wind.